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enBayers Bender fit to face Atletico MadridBayer Leverkusen midfielder Lars Bender is fit to face Atletico Madrid in their UEFA Champions League last 16 second leg on Tuesday.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/bender-fit-face-atletico
Battling an ankle injury, the Germany international is back in training and a chance to start against the La Liga giants.
Leverkusen coach Roger Schmidt, whose team lead the tie 1-0 heading to the Vicente Calderon, was unwilling to give too much away.
"He is doing well. He could train the last two days without pain," he said on Monday.
"I will not announce the line-up today, but he is fit to play."
A goal from Hakan Calhanoglu in the second lifted helped Leverkusen to their victory at home.
Atletico are winless in their past four games in all competitions, but Schmidt is still wary of Diego Simeone's men.
"Of course we know that Atletico [are] different at home and that they are very strong," he said.
"One-nil is a good result, but tomorrow we must outdo ourselves to reach the next round."
news_articleTue, 17 Mar 2015 01:28:11 +0000Anonymous361779 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comSchmidt hopes Bayern effect will help injuriesBayer Leverkusen coach Roger Schmidt hopes a trip to Bayern Munich on Saturday will help speed up the recovery of his injured players.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/schmidt-hopes-bayern-effect
Schmidt has fitnessconcerns over key players includingOmer Toprak, Lars Bender andStefan Kiessling ahead of Saturday's meeting with the championsatthe Allianz Arena.
Leverkusen sit third going into the weekend's clash, 10 points behind Pep Guardiola's leaders, having seen off rivals Cologne 5-1 at the weekend.
As they seek to end Bayern's winning start to the Bundesliga season, Schmidt expectsthe prospect of taking on the Bavarian giants to leave the treatment room less congested.
Asked whether a trip to face Bayern could motivate recoveries, Schmidt is quoted by Kicker as saying:"It would appear so.
"This is a game that all will wantto play in."
Schmidt also expressed the need for his side to be on top of their game if they are to get anything from their trip to Munich.
"Against Bayern it's all about unity," he added.
"We must never be alone on the pitch aswe need to go to our limits.
"We must do what we always do, and look for perfection."
news_articleWed, 03 Dec 2014 17:12:42 +0000Anonymous298820 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comBender pleased with Leverkusen effortStand-in Bayer Leverkusen captain Lars Bender felt his side were worth all three points in their 2-0 win over Zenit on Wednesday.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/bender-pleased-leverkusen-effort
Leverkusen moved to the top of UEFA Champions League Group C with a routine success at BayArena that came thanks to second-half goals from Giulio Donati and Kyriakos Papadopoulos.
Brazilian full-back Wendell was sent off with 11 minutes to play in a fractious affair but Leverkusen avoided a late scare to secure maximum points.
And Bender - deputising as captain for the injured Simon Rolfes - was pleased with his team's display.
"Today we have been very disciplined right from the start," he said.
"It was a very tough game. But in the end, we really deserved the win."
Leverkusen visit Zenit in two weeks' time for their next fixture in Europe's premier club competition.
news_articleWed, 22 Oct 2014 22:09:06 +0000Anonymous273290 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comBender thrilled with backs to the wall winBayer Leverkusen midfielder Lars Bender praised the spirit of his side after their comfortable 3-1 UEFA Champions League win over Benfica.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/bender-thrilled-backs-wall-win
First-half strikes from Stefan Kiessling and Son Heung-min, as well as a Hakan Calhanoglu penalty, were enough to see off the visitors on Wednesday.
The win leaves Leverkusen one point off the top of Group C, giving them a good chance of progressing to the last 16 despite going down 1-0 to Monaco in their opening game.
It represented a fine return to Leverkusen's early-season form, which saw them score 22 goals in their first six games during a blistering start to the season.
And Bender could not hide his delight after his team got their European campaign back on track.
He told UEFA.com: "We were very ambitious, because our start in this Champions League was a little bit unsuccessful.
"We showed a very good reaction and a fantastic match. This win was extremely important, because we were standing with our backs to the wall. In groups like this you have to win your home matches."
The German outfit are yet to taste defeat at home this season and will hope to continue their favourable record when they welcome Zenit, who drew 0-0 at home to Monaco in the group's other game,to the BayArena on October 22.
news_articleWed, 01 Oct 2014 22:07:10 +0000Anonymous261937 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comBender close to Leverkusen returnLars Bender could return for Bayer Leverkusens opening Bundesliga clash with Borussia Dortmund after recovering from a thigh problem.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/bender-close-leverkusen-return
The midfielder has been absent since suffering the injury during a training session with Germany ahead of the World Cup in May.
Bender was omitted from Joachim Low's final 23-man squad and had to watch from home as his team-mates were crowned world champions for a fourth time.
The 25-year-old missed all of Leverkusen's pre-season as he recoveredfrom the injury, but head coach Roger Schmidt revealed he has now returned to full training.
Along with new signing Kyriakos Papadopoulos,Bender could feature at Signal Iduna Park on Saturday.
"Both players took part in full training," Schmidt told a media conference on Thursday.
"We've still got two days to go and we'll see what happens in training and decidewhether or not they make it to the squad."
Bender made 29 appearances for Leverkusen last season as they finished fourth and qualified for the UEFA Champions League play-off round.
news_articleThu, 21 Aug 2014 16:23:35 +0000Anonymous235973 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comIf not Vidal then who? Six alternatives for Manchester United to considerConflicting reports claim the Chileans move to Old Trafford isnt so certain. Greg Johnson suggests the other stars who could fill the void for Louis van Gaal...Greg Johnsonhttp://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/if-not-vidal-then-who-six-alternatives-manchester-united-consider
Depending on who you talk to, Arturo Vidal's arrival at Manchester United would galvanise the club into becoming instant favourites for the Premier League title, unstoppable through the middle regardless of their opposition or as strong a team as they have ever been.
In fairness the Chilean certainly looks the part; for both Juventus and Chile he is a one-man conveyer belt of goals, chances, tackles, turnovers and surging runs that are genuinely box-to-box in their nature. He made 96 tackles last season in Serie A, took 56 shots, scored 11 goals and was named man of the match on five occasions.
At a time when players like Aaron Ramsey and Jordan Henderson are emerging as key players, Vidal looks a perfect fit. Yet while many continue to hail him as the perfect man to complete Louis van Gaal’s squad, it feels as though they have jumped the gun slightly. Regardless of what the gossip columns may be saying in Italy, Vidal to United is not a done deal: far from it, according to the English journalists who remain adamant that no move has been made yet.
So just in case the 27-year-old pitbull doesn't hot-foot it to Manchester, here are six alternatives who could grace the United shirt instead...
Kevin Strootman
Strootman’s injury before the World Cup forced Van Gaal to switch to a 3-5-2 in Brazil, such was the Roma midfielder’s importance to the 4-3-3 system that had served the Dutch so well during qualifying.
Though not blessed with pace, like Vidal he can be regarded as a complete midfielder, offering plenty of comparable defensive coverage with tackles and ball recoveries, if not the lung-busting acceleration of the Chilean. With 55 tackles in 25 Serie A appearances, along with 5 goals and 6 assists in his first season in Italy, he certainly hasn’t lacked end product.
However, he is yet to return to full fitness and will be able to count on Champions League football for the time being with Roma, so a move before January seems unlikely. If Van Gaal feels he can wait until then, he could be an even more suitable capture given his existing understanding of the new manager’s ideas and methods.
Morgan Schneiderlin
Southampton’s defensive midfielder may not be a like-for-like substitute for Juve’s box-to-box general, but during his two seasons of Premier League football, Schneiderlin has certainly shown flashes of being capable of far more than intercepting and neat distribution.
He is a less active player– more of a passer than a runner– but few players compare to Vidal’s mixture of athleticism, attacking prowess and defensive power. With Ander Herrera providing combativeness and creativity higher up the field, Schneiderlin wouldn’t need to be the sole dynamic presence in midfield anyway.
Saints won’t let another one of their young stars leave without a fight– or an offer too big to turn down– especially now Ronald Koeman is in charge at St Mary's. The former Feyenoord boss enjoys an adversarial relationship with Van Gaal that would hardly stir any genuine interest.
William Carvalho
After a promising campaign last season with Sporting, Carvalho made his World Cup debut this summer for Portugal against the USA as a substitute, and impressed with his composure on the ball.
Like Schneiderlin, the defensive midfielder would be a less dynamic option than Vidal, but as shown by his occasional forays forward from deep last season, he can be a more mobile threat when not on defensive duty.
SEE ALSOEverything you need to know about... William Carvalho
Lars Bender
Though regularly linked with a move to the Premier League, Bender is reportedly content with life at Bayer Leverkusen. Yet if the Vidal deal did fall through, he would be an intriguing option. The Arsenal-linked German is more mobile than he is often given credit for, and while he may be a far more defensively focused player than Vidal –he made 87 tackles last season in the Bundeliga but created only 1 goal, scoring 4 –he is far from limited.
Leverkusen was Vidal’s club prior to Juventus, and a move away helped him to flourish in a more rounded role. Perhaps a similar opportunity could unleash Bender’s true potential.
Leon Goretzka
Staying in the Bundesliga, Schalke’s 19-year-old midfielder Goretzka could be a left-field, yet well-suited option for Van Gaal. The young German is also capable of playing wide on the right but looked surprisingly mature when called upon to play in central midfield last season.
Although still young and largely inexperienced, he did not seem fazed getting involved all over the pitch against Werder Bremen and Hertha Berlin (see below). His age might worry United fans who crave Vidal's more refined abilities, but Van Gaal has never been afraid to trust youngsters with big responsibilities.
SEE ALSOEverything you need to know about... Leon Goretzka
Roberto Firmino
Hoffenheim’s No.10 may not seem like an obvious candidate to replace Vidal as a transfer target, but the midfielder-cum-striker is an exceptionally hard-working player who made 82 tackles in just 33 Bundesliga appearances last season.
Even if the Brazilianisn’t already a true box-to-box midfielder, at just 22 he could still become one. Van Gaal’s ability to redeploy players in roles that suit their abilities saw him turn wingers into full-backs and defenders at Ajax, and although buying big on a young star to play them out of position may be a step further, Firmino could be a player who could thrive if played deeper.
SEE ALSOFive Bundesliga youngsters fit for Premier League stardom
featureThu, 24 Jul 2014 10:00:00 +0000Joe Brewin217909 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comThigh injury rules Bender out of World CupLars Bender will miss the FIFA World Cup after suffering a thigh injury during Germanys pre-tournament training camp on Thursday.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/thigh-injury-rules-bender-out-world-cup
The Bayer Leverkusen midfielder was named in Joachim Low's provisional squad for the finals in Brazil after impressing during the Bundesliga season.
Germany are currently in northern Italy before heading to South America next month, but Bender will not be on the plane after the German Football Association confirmed he damaged a muscle in his right thigh during a training session.
"If just before a tournament injury fails a player then that's disappointing," said Low.
"For Lars, I'm personally very sorry.
"I know he wanted to be in Brazil, he is an absolute role model."
Bender has made 17 appearances for Germany since his debut in September 2011 and was part of Low's squad during the World Cup qualifying campaign.
The 25-year-old's withdrawal may see Low opt for Sami Khedira as part of his midfield options in Brazil, even though the Real Madrid player has been absent with a long-term knee injury this season.
news_articleFri, 23 May 2014 08:31:21 +0000Anonymous178400 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comBender extends Leverkusen contractLars Bender has agreed a two-year extension to his Bayer Leverkusen contract and will remain with the club until 2019.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/bender-extends-leverkusen-contract
The midfielder arrived at the BayArena in 2009 and has since made 151 appearances in all competitions, while also having his form recognised with a call-up to the Germany national team.
The 24-year-old has started seven Bundesliga matches this season under Sami Hyypia, helpingLeverkusen into third place in the table, just a point behind leaders Bayern Munich.
His deal was due to expire at the end of the 2016-17 season, but he has committed his long-term future to the club after being impressed with the improvements they have made.
"Bayer Leverkusen has evolved in recent years into something very positive," he told the club's official website.
"Our team is strong and has the potential to be even better. I want to be part of this story and make my contribution as we try and permanently establish ourselves in the top group.
"Bayer has become for me a great passion. I feel part of this club and just feeling that gives me great pleasure to play here."
Bender has picked up 15 caps under Joachim Low and scored four goals, while his last appearance for the national team came in their 3-3 draw with Paraguay in August.
news_articleThu, 31 Oct 2013 15:03:26 +0000Anonymous79227 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comBender returns to Leverkusen trainingBayer Leverkusen midfielder Lars Bender returned to full training on Tuesday after three weeks out of action with a thigh injury.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/bender-returns-leverkusen-training
The 24-year-old suffered a torn quadriceps muscle in the closing stages of Leverkusen's 1-1 draw with Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich on October 5.
Bender missed three games for his club, as well as Germany's final FIFA World Cup qualifiers, as a result.
But he could now be back in contention for Saturday's trip to the Bundesliga's bottom club, Eintracht Braunschweig.
"I have worked a lot with (fitness coach) Holger Broich individually," Bender told the club's official website.
"But I have put my return off long enough and I'm ready to play again."
Leverkusen coach Sami Hyypia will be buoyed by the midfielder's recovery, but he still has concerns elsewhere in his squad.
Star striker Stefan Kiessling did not participate on Tuesday's session, due to a cut on his foot sustained in the weekend's 2-1 win over Augsburg that required five stitches.
Defensive duo Stefan Reinartz (heel) and Sebastian Boenisch (ankle) were also absent.
Leverkusen are part of a trio of clubs currently clear at the top of the Bundesliga after nine rounds. They sit third, level on points with Borussia Dortmund, and just one behind league leaders Bayern Munich.
However, Leverkusen already hold a nine-point advantage over fourth-placed Borussia Monchengladbach.
news_articleTue, 29 Oct 2013 16:31:52 +0000Anonymous78491 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comLeverkusen sweating on Bender fitnessBayer Leverkusen midfielder Lars Bender is fighting to be fit for Wednesdays UEFA Champions League clash with Real Sociedad.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/leverkusen-sweating-bender-fitness
The Bundesliga side will take on Real Sociedad in their second group game of the competition, having lost 4-2 to Premier League champions Manchester United in their opener.
But as they prepare to fight for the essential points in a tough group that also includes Shakhtar Donetsk, they may have to do so without star midfielder Bender.
The 24-year-old picked up a knock on his ankle in Saturday's 2-0 win over Hannover, but boss Sami Hyypia is hopeful that he may recover in time.
"We will wait until tomorrow's warm-up (in the morning) to see if Lars is good to play," he said.
"Today he did not train with the team but did an individual session. We have to see how his injury reacts to know where we stand.
"Now we have a home game which we have to win if we are to have any chance of advancing."
The former Finland international sees his men come into the fixture in good form, having won their last five home matches in all competitions.
news_articleTue, 01 Oct 2013 16:30:18 +0000Anonymous68498 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comThe Leverkusen stars Man United should fearMichael Cox names the Bundesliga sides biggest threats ahead of Tuesday evenings Champions League clash at Old Trafford.Michael Coxhttp://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/leverkusen-stars-man-united-should-fear
Bayer Leverkusen were the forgotten side in last year’s Bundesliga – while Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund stormed Europe and competed in a fast-paced, intense final, few were talking about third-placed Leverkusen.
But they were one of the most interesting sides in Europe last season, eschewing the dominant modern obsession with possession and instead playing a pure counter-attacking game. Therefore, they’re suited to this away contest against Manchester United, where they’ll surely start as underdogs and see relatively little of the ball.
There have been changes over the summer, chiefly because Sami Hyypia is now in sole charge following a period as joint-manager with Sascha Lewandoswki. His more experienced colleague’s tactical knowledge will certainly be missed, although the former Liverpool centre-back is showing signs of becoming an excellent coach.
There were also three major departures in the starting XI. Andre Schurrle, who was the star man in his advanced left-sided role and was the instigator of the majority of counter-attacks, has left for Chelsea. On the opposite side, attacking right-back Daniel Carvajal impressed so much that Real Madrid wasted no time in activating their buy-back clause after just one season. Meanwhile, in the centre of defence, Michal Kadlec departed to Fenerbahce.
Nonetheless, there are three players David Moyes will need to keep a close eye on. The first is centre-forward Stefan Kiessling. Last year’s Bundesliga top goalscorer with 25 goals, one ahead of Dortmund’s in-demand Robert Lewandoswki, there’s something old-fashioned about him. In the age of false No.9s and strikers who drift wide, Kiessling is an old-fashioned target man who stays inside the penalty box.
No player in last season’s Bundesliga had as many shots as Kiessling, and none won as many aerial duels – although Kiessling insists he doesn’t score a particularly high number of goals with his head. Still, Nemanja Vidic’s aerial ability will be needed against the strong, 6ft 3in striker. Competing in aerial battles is essentially all Kiessling does outside the penalty box.
The second dangerman is right-sided Sidney Sam, a pacey direct forward who was often used from the bench last year, but who has thrived in Schurrle’s absence – combining excellently with Kiessling so far this season. Both have recorded four goals in the first five Bundesliga matches.
Sam specialises on the counter-attack, breaking directly into space. He’s capable of beating oppnents with mazy dribbles when he picks up full speed, and provides a consistent goal threat. In the 4-2 win over Borussia Monchengladbach, Schurrle set up Sam for two fine goals.
Finally, there’s central midfielder Lars Bender. Twin brother of Sven, who reached the final with Dortmund last season, Lars is arguably more of a complete footballer, although is most notable for his tenacious defensive work – putting in plenty of tackles in the central midfield zone.
Leverkusen’s 4-3-3 system means they pack the centre of the pitch, with Bender the most dominant force to the right of the pitch – he might attempt to stop Patrice Evra’s forward bursts, a notable feature of United’s play so far this campaign.
featureTue, 17 Sep 2013 10:07:33 +0000James Maw60009 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comInternational Friendly: Germany 3 Paraguay 3An absorbing encounter at the Fritz-Walter-Stadion in Kaiserslautern saw Germany and Paraguay draw 3-3 on Wednesday.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/international-friendly-germany-3-paraguay-3
Both sides named strong sides ahead of their final FIFA World Cup qualifiers, with two goals in four first-half minutes from Jose Nunez and Wilson Pittoni putting Paraguay ahead before
Ilkay Gundogan and Thomas Mueller drew Germany level.
Miguel Samudio put the visitors back in front on the stroke of half-time before a second-half Lars Bender strike ensured the hosts avoided consecutive friendly defeats.
Germany manager Joachim Loew was without injured trio Mario Goetze, Julian Draxler and Bastian Schweinsteiger, but Ilkay Gundogan and Marco Reus were among the returning contingent, despite fitness doubts before the game.
Paraguays record goalscorer Roque Santa Cruz was recalled to Victor Genes starting line-up, while Justo Villar made his 100th appearance for Paraguay in goal.
The strength of Germanys line-up, going into the final round of World Cup qualifiers which start in September, showed how serious Loew was taking the friendly and he will have been pleased with his sides start to the game.
A Reus free-kick forced an early save from Villar before Gundogan and Klose both had efforts from inside the area.
However, Nunez gave his side the lead against the run of play after nine minutes when he dispatched a long ball past Manuel Neuer.
Klose should have equalised for Germany shortly after when he was played through by Gundogan, but, while his dink beat Villar, it also went over the crossbar.
Pittoni then doubled Paraguays lead after 13 minutes, following poor German defending.
The Olimpia midfielder struck a half-volley after a bad clearance which deflected off Sami Khedira and past Neuer to put Paraguay in control.
The goals kept coming, although it was the hosts finally making headway. Gundogan clawed one back after 18 minutes, hitting a deft curling strike which evaded Villar, who could only get a hand to the ball.
The Borussia Dortmund midfielder showed his value at the other end, clearing a corner off the line before being forced off with a back problem to be replaced by Bender.
Germany restored parity 31 minutes in as Mueller stayed onside and controlled a lofted ball under pressure from the onrushing Villar before calmly rolling the ball past the goalkeeper.
However, Paraguay ensured they went in ahead at the break, when Santa Cruz squared for Samudio to score from close range on the stroke of half-time.
Mario Gomez replaced Klose early in the second half and he had a quick impact, forcing a good save from Villar after 57 minutes.
Fellow substitute Jerome Boateng then rifled a shot over the bar after 71 minutes before Mueller fired across goal shortly after.
However, Germanys search for an equaliser ended three minutes later when Bender latched on to a loose clearance and fired home to make it 3-3.
Andre Schurrle had a late chance but could only blaze over from close range after waves of Germany pressure.
Next up for both sides are final batches of World Cup qualifiers, with UEFA Group C leaders Germany hosting Austria in September while Paraguay, who sit bottom of CONMEBOL qualifying, host Bolivia in the same month.
news_articleWed, 14 Aug 2013 21:47:42 +0000Anonymous39152 at http://www.fourfourtwo.com